M23 Rebels Seize Kivu Capitals, Displacing Millions in DRC

More than seven million people are now internally displaced in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) after the March 23 Movement (M23) rebels seized complete control of Goma and Bukavu, the capitals of North and South Kivu provinces. This escalation marks a dramatic worsening of the conflict in eastern DRC, which has destabilized the region since early 2025.

The M23 is an armed group that emerged from the failure of a 2009 peace agreement. Originally formed by former rebels integrated into the national army (FARDC), the movement was named after the date the original accord was signed: March 23, 2009. The DRC government’s failure to implement terms regarding Tutsi community rights and political representation led to the group's initial revolt in 2012. Although UN-backed forces defeated the M23 in November 2013, the group resurfaced in March 2022.

UN experts attribute the 2022 resurgence to ongoing support from Rwanda, a claim Kigali denies. The conflict intensified ahead of the December 20, 2023, general elections, where President Félix Tshisekedi was re-elected with 73 percent of the vote despite severe insecurity in the east. The renewed hostilities, which began in October 2023, displaced an additional 450,000 people before the recent capture of major cities.

The instability poses a broader regional threat. Professor Bob Kabamba of the University of Liège warned that if the DRC becomes fully destabilized, the insecurity could spill over into neighboring countries such as Congo-Brazzaville, the Central African Republic, and South Sudan. Other armed groups, including the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) and CODECO, also operate in the region, complicating security efforts for the Kinshasa government.